Carbon-free operation of internalcombustion engines



May'19,' '1953 E. RYDER 2,538,882

CARBON-FREE OPERATION 0F INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Dec. 2o. 1948@Enum @i gglme/I Ryder Patented May 19, 1953 ,UNITEDy STATES .PATENTOFFICE CARBON-FREE OPERATION F INTERNAL- 'COMBUSTION ENGINES ElmerRyder, Aurora, Ill.

Application December 20, 1948, Serial No. 66,328

6 Claims. ll

The present invention relates to improvements in internal combustionengines, and more particularly concerns a solution of the problem ofovercoming the detrimental effects of the carbon resulting from thecombustion of fuel in the operation of such engines,

Carbon particles formed in the combustion of the motivating vfuel intheoperation of internal combustion engines, of both'the ignition type anddiesel type, have a highly abrasive character. In theconventionalinternal combustion engine these carbon particles vwork back from thecombustion chamber in the cylinder head past the pistons and into thecrank case oil.

Possibly the principal cause of cylinder scoring and wear isattributable tothe carbon as it nds its way past the pistons. In thecrank case oil the carbon is distributed to all of the bearing partswhich are lubricated by the oil. Consequently engine wear anddeterioration are grossly excessive in spite of vastly improvedmechanisms, metallurgical practices and machining methods.

Elaborate precautions are generally exercised to minimize deteriorationcaused by carbon. Thus, extremely close fitting piston rings withscavenger devices, carbon controlling expedients, and the like areutilized on the pistons, with the result that the cylinder vwall whichisthe very bearing surface that should be most efficiently lubricated andwhich is closest to the carbon source and most prone to the detrimentalabrasive elfects of the carbon is virtually lubrication starved.Furthermore, oil filters are utilized for the crank case oil with theprime objective of removing carbon from the oil. Nevertheless the crankcase oil must be completely flushed out and replaced by a fresh oilsupply periodically because of `the load of carbon with which it soonbecomes polluted. When the crank case is drained, a heavy carbon sludgeis usually found and the oil has lthe characteristic black color due tothe carbon particles suspended therein. If it were not for the carbonpollution. a good grade of motor oil would lastindefinitely and wouldrequire replacement merely byway of addition for oil lost by leakageorvolatilization..

vAn. important object of the present invention is to improve theoperation of internal combustion engines by substantially .preventingescape of carbon from the combustion chamber into th cylinders andthecrank case. y

Another object of the invention is to remove y directly from thecombustion chamber of an internal combustion engine carbon prodllel inoperation, and in such a manner that escape of carbon past the pistonsis practically eliminated.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means forscavenging carbon from internal combustion engines.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved methodof scavenging carbon from the combustion chamber of an internalcombustion engine.

Other objects, features and advantages'of the present invention will bereadily apparent from the following detailed description of oneembodiment thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings,in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary longtiudinal sectional view through thecylinder of an internal combustion engine;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on the lineII-II of Fig. 1;

Figure 3 is a schematic view of an internal combustion engine embodyingthe features of the invention; and

Figure 4 is a schematic view showing a modied construction.

According to the present invention, carbon is removed directly from thecombustion chamber of an internal combustion engine by way of a sumpdraining from the lowest point in the combustion chamber, while fuelintake and gas exhaust are accomplished in a high part of the combustionchamber.

In the very early history of internal combustion engines it was thoughtadvisable to have the exhaust port and valve at the lowest point in thecombustion chamber. This was soon found to be quite impractical,however, because the carbon passing through the exhaust port quickly cutthe valve and its seat as well as the valve stem into such a state ofdeterioration that the engine would lose power to a quite undesirabledegree. In the long interval since then it has always been founddesirable to have the intake and exhaust ports in a high portion of thecombustion chamber so that the natural gravitational tendency of thecarbon would be away from these ports. Consequently the carbon haseither deposited on the walls of the combustion chamber and on thepiston head or has escaped past the piston into the crank case, with allof the deterioration factors thus created.

By the present invention all of the desirable features of having theintake and exhaust ports at a high point Yof the combustion chamber orretained, but the deterioration factors attendant '-,upon carbon escapeinto the crank case are vention will require merely a `gradualadditicnof oil to the crank case. The oil in the crank' case remainssubstantially clean at all times to perform its lubricating function tobest advantage. The loss of oil from theI crank case due to thepermitted or even encouraged carbon flushing seepage into the combustionchamber will at least not put the engine user to any disadvantage fromthe oil consumptionistandpointas compared with prior practice since.over a period of time no more oil:- need befconsumed .by

the engine due to the carbon-.flushing seepage than would be consumed..by the periodic ,oilv change heretofore required. The probabilities are,however, that .there will be anactualsaving.-

in oil consumption in. addition. to the tremen-r dous saving effected inthe enginedueto the saving in wear on thecylinder wallsand the Yvariousbearings lubricated by-the crank. case oilY byreason of the eliminationof. the abrasive dei terioratingieffects of carbon particles.v

By way of example the invention hascbeen.,

show-n in Figures l and. 2. as-applied to awell known type of internalcombustion-enginemcluding a horizontal cylinder I within` which a pistonH operates reciprocably. to drive a piston rod l2 which is-connectedinternally thereto throughthe medium of. the usual wrist-,pinl i3. Thecylinder has thereabout the usual.v water jacket Hi. Removably securedto the endof. thev cylinder structure is lacylinderheadIS, the .usualattaching bolts il' being provided orsecuring it in place. v

Within the innerv face ofthe cylinder head1-3. is formed a combustionchamberoavity I8-. Thisv cavity cooperates with rthe outer end of thecylinder bore to provide a combustion chambenand extends laterally ofthe cylinder. bore. to cornrnu-r nicate with fuel intake andexhaustepassages, one of which identiiied at isis shown inFig... l, andwhich passages are controlled by the usual respective poppet valves,identiiied at 20. Fuel ignition is provided for bya spark plug 2lcarried by. the cylinder headl5. As. will be observed. the fuel intakeand exhaust passages are located in the highest portion of thecombustion chamber. Consequently, in` the operation of the engine carboncreated as a result .of .combustion of fuel inthe combustion chamberbeing.. relatively heavy tends to gravitatetoward. the lowest portion ofthe combustion chamber.

For receiving the carbon,A a sump recess 22 is provided at the lowermostend of the combustion chamber cavity I8.in the cylinder head l5.- Bypreference this sump recess is of` only small dimension so as not .tointerfere with the compression characteristics of the combustion chamber cavity i8, and all surfaces leading to the sump recess or depressionare smoothly curved to avoid any ledges on which carbon. might tend toaccumulate. As seen in Figs. 1 and .2, all adjacent surfaces taper intothe sump recess 22, there beinga ramp surface 23 which tapers from theedge of the cylinder bore. Thus, in the operation of the engine, carbonformed by the eX- plosive combustion of fuel Works down the wallsdefining the combustion chamber cavity I8 into the sump 22, and sincethe piston Il moves on compression stroke to the end edge of thecylinder bore any carbon that may tend to deposit in the cylinder boreon the power stroke of the pistonfisscavenged therefrom'lytthefzpistonand dropsv downintothe carbon scavengingisump 22.

In order to enhance the carbon scavenging action, piston rings 24 on thepiston Il are preferablyoacharacter to permit a slight seepageof...cranklcase oilI outwardly thereby and such oil will serve to flushthe carbon as a sludge Adov'v'nwar'dly into the scavenging sump 22.

In order to remove the carbon sludge from the` sump 22 while"`the engineis in operation anda-without disturbing the compression within thecombustion chamber means are provided for. drainingthe. sump 22.without` opening. the combustion or. compression rchamber to.. loss-.ofYcompression.. Herein. such means comprises. a. tapered rotary pocketv-alve.;25l' rotatably closely bearinged inla complementary taperedbear.- ing bushing 21' which is. press ,tted' withinv a complementarytapered'bore 28" providedl in-a transverse boss. 29. integral with. thelower .end ofthecylinder; head. l 5 .andinto which the sump 22drains.

The. bushing-r 2T has an"` opening.. 3l) "in" the side thereof which-.iscompler'rientary.` in site' toand. inregist'ration with...thesump2'21an`d. forms a part of the sump cavity', In the. peripheryof thevalve plug 25 is provided" a uniform. series` of drainagepitsorp'ockets' 13|.Which. Aare of' a length andwidtlanda so disposedVthat they. are adapted ,toreg'ister' substantiallyjW-ith the sumpopening 3.0"in the bushing. Thereby Hcarbon sludge" will dropA fromth'esumpv into whichever one' vof the pits- 3T is"in"registration. with' thesump.

Sin'ce'the capacity ofeacn'o'f'th'e drainage pits' or pockets 3.| isnecessarily. limited, meansiare' providedfor turningithe vdrainagevalveA 25180" asv to. bring the drainage pits' '3l successively"intolregistration with the sumpl22'while `atth'e same time moving 'the'loadedr drainage pit away'rrom" the sump andrv into' registrationwithJ-adown'- wardl'yV directedcleanout opening 32irr the bushingY2lregistering With a"cleanout`opening V33 in the lower side" ofthe.valve boss'29." Themeans fori turning the valveplug 25" herein comprisesa; wormgear Slt-'secured' to thev outerv end of the plug in ja suitableyfashion and` meshing with va Worm 35" carriedby-a shaft 3l' journaledkin` "a shaft bracket 38 on the water jacket M'; The shaft 3l-may"'b`e'-driven"in any suitable manner fromlthe engine. fOperation ofthe shaft '31' need not necessarily be' 0timed with-fthe engine;although under some' circumstances it may; bedesirabl'e'cto"synchronize"registration vof: the -pits or pocketsl-withtlie"sump 22^-withl theexplosions ofn the engine; yLoss ofcompressionis avoid'- ed'sincel between `each `of 'the-ipoc'kets 3 Ithereis a substantialfbearing-flandserving as a'barrier to 'loss or"compression;

Since the-cleanout or drainagevalveiplug 25'A rotates relatively slowly,there l'will Ibe'but a minimumcf' wear eventhough son'iecarbon may. getbetween the` bearing surfaces oftheVA valve plug-25 and thevbus-hing 21.'Suchavear "isminimized by affording constant lubrication o'f'thesubstantial bearingesurfaces at thief-opposite lend portions -of theplug yas'emay berprovided 'by'^'oi1 5. ducts 3S leading from the forwardlower end portion of the cylinder bore, through the cylinder wall andthe valves boss 29 into the bushing 21 near the ends of the valve plug.As best seen in Fig.-1, the 'openings to the-lubricating ducts 39 arelocated adjacent tothe outer end of the cylinder bore in position to belapped by the piston Il when the latter moves from the partiallyadvanced position as shown to the full compression position at the endof the cylinder bore. Thus, oil carried outwardly bythe piston finds itsway into the lubricating ducts 29 and thence to the valve plug 25.

Toassure a snug bearing fit of the valve plug 25 at all times within thebearing bushing 21, a take up mechanism is preferably providedcomprising a stem 40 projecting from the inner end of the valve plugthrough a bearing aperture 4I in the adjacentend wall of the valve boss29 to which the adjacent end of the valve plug is located in spacedtake-up relation, and beyond which the take-up stem projects to asubstantial distance outwardly. A coiled compression takeup spring 42acts between a threadedly adjustable compression collar 43 carried bythe stem 40 and a longitudinally slidable thrust collar 44 keyed ontothe stem. A bearing washer 45 is interposed between the thrust collar 44and the adjacent outer face of the boss end wall. A lock nut 41 on theend of the stem 40 is designed to retain the compression collar 43 inadjusted condition. Thus, by placing the compression spring 42 undersuitable pressure, the spring maintains a constant outward thrusttake-up pressure on the take-up stem 40 and thus on the plug 25 tomaintain the same at all times in snug bearing relation within thesleeve 21 whereby to avoid compression leakage past the plug.

It will thus be apparent that as the engine operates and carbon formsand drains as a sludge into the sump 22, the drainage pits or pockets 3|and the valve plug 25 continuously carry away the carbon accumulationsand expel the same from the discharge opening 33, thereby eliminatingthe condition which has heretofore prevailed and under which the carboneventually fouled up the compression chamber or found its way into thecrank case.

In Figure 3 is shown schematically an engine, in this instance a twocylinder engine, in which a source of fuel 48 supplies gasoline, dieseloil or the like to the engine while a lubricating oil source i9constantly supplies lubricating oil to the crank case D of the engine.Each of the cylinders, which is enclosed within a casing 5l embodies theprinciples of the present invention according to which the carbon isremoved directly from the combustion or compression chamber of thecylinder and a small, controlled oil seepage past the piston is providedfor as a flushing agent, the :level of lubricating oil in the crank casebeing maintained constant by continuousreplenishment from thelubricating oil supply 49.

In Figure 4 the invention is shown as applied to a verticallyreciprocating cylinder and piston assembly wherein the combustion orcompression chamber is at the top. In this form a verticallyreciprocating piston 55 operates in a cylinder 51 having a compressionchamber 58 at the top. Poppet valve controlled fuel inlet and outletpassages 59 and 6D communicate with the high portion of the compressionchamber 53 while a sump depression BI is provided at the lowest point inthe compression chamber and preferably at one side of the cylinder 51.In

order to promote movement and drainage of car-y bon and sludge as may beoccasioned by slight desirableoil leakage past the piston 55 into thecompression chamber 58, the floor of the compression chamber togetherwith the top of the piston are preferably sloped slightly toward thesump 6 I. Ascavenging of the carbon is completed by drainage thereoffrom the sump 6| through the medium of a compression proof valve 62which deposits the carbon sludge into an exhaust passage 63 which maylead to an appropriate receptacle or from which the sludge may simplydrop, as preferred.

I claim as my invention: f

1. In combination in an internal combustion engine including a, cylinderand piston operable therein and a cylinder head providing a compressionchamber having fuel inlet and exhaust passages leading from ahighposition therein, a sump depression at the lowest point inr saidcompression chamber for collecting carbon gravitationally, and meanseffecting drainage from said sump while maintaining a compression tightclosure for the sump, said means comprising a drainage pocketed plugvalve rotatably mounted under said sump.

2. In combination in an internal combustion engine assembly, meansdefining a cylinder and piston structure and a compression chamber, fuelintake and exhaust gas outlet means communi eating with a high portionof the compression chamber, a carbon scavenging sump at the lowest pointof the compression chamber, a drainage valve assembly operative at thebottom of the sump, and means for lubricating said valve assemblyincluding a lubricating duct leading from the cylinder.

3. In combination in an internal combustion engine assembly, meansdefining a cylinder, a piston operable in the cylinder, a compressionchamber at the head of the cylinder, means affording fuel inlet andexhaust gas outlet at the high part of the combustion chamber, meansdefining a carbon scavenging sump at the low part of the comb-ustionchamber, a taper bushing having an opening in the side thereofcommunicating with the sump, a plug valve slidably disposed in saidbushing and having a series of sump drainage pits therein successivelyregistrable with said drainage opening in the bushing in response torotation of the plug valve, means affording a drainage opening from thebushing with which the loaded pits register in the turning of the valve,means for rotating the valve, and means for maintaining a, take-uppressure on the plug valve to maintain a compression tight bearingrelation between the plug valve and the bushing.

4. In combination in an internal combustion engine assembly, meansdefining a cylinder, a piston operable in the cylinder, a compressionchamber at the head of the cylinder, means affording fuel inlet andexhaust gas outlet at the high part of the combustion chamber, meansdefining a carbon scavenging sump at the low par-t of the combustionchamber, a taper bushing having an opening in the side thereofcommunieating with the sump," a plug valve slidably disposed in saidbushing and having a series of sump drainage pits therein successivelyregistrable with said drainage opening in the bushing in response torotation of the plug valve, means affording a drainage opening from thebushing with which the loaded pits register in the turning of the valve,means for rotating the valve, and lubricating means for the plug valveincluding a amasser duct-leadingfromithe .cylinder :throughthe-loushf`ing;

5. In-Acombinationin v.an internal combustion engine assembly, meansdeningfa cylinder, a. pistonioperablein the oylinden-:a removablecylin-` der headV closing-theouter end-fof the.- cylinder,

saidfzcylinder. head deiining a-combustion cham-V ber nzawity,l fuel`inlet and` exhaustports communieating Withhigh portions of thecombustion-cavity, said cylinder head-'havingasump1recess-at sumprecess, and means vautomatically,operating said" ,valve` in "theoperation of4 .the engine.

6; Incombination in arr interna-l .combustion engine assembly,meansdening'a cylinderfand a'v compressioncombustion vchamber .at Y oneendofthe cylinder, said means including uel-inletand exhaust portsat`thehiglfi portion ofthe chamber,

valves controlling saidv ports, said means .also havingKa carbonvsludgesump...r.ecessat the lowest point vof saidichamberf, Lall surfaces.leading to the sump-recess `being-3smoothly curved onrespectiveledgeson which ,carbonzmight tend to accumulate,`

a'valvefsludgejecter operable to -scavenge the sump, andfmeans forautomatically operating said valve-ejector in the-operation of theengine.

ELMER RYDER.

AReferences'@Cited 2in the file of, this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSNumber Name Date '1,520,875 Lavoie ,Dec. 30, 1924 2,081,315 Weber May25, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 1,797 Great 'Britain Feb.6, 1886 65508v GreatBiitan Mar. y15, 1911

